Sheet metal lock nut wrench



9, 1950 B. A. BAKER 2,520,269

SHEET METAL LOCK NUT WRENCH Filed April ,19, 1948 INVENTOR B WMATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STAT S sneer METALnocnfnurwnnnon Bennie A. Baker, Lake Spaulding, Calif.

Application April-19, 1943;. Serial Nor zest-2 relating. (Cl. 81-12421)This invention isdirected to, andit. is an object to' provide, a novelWrench for initially supporting: and then attaching sheet metal lock:nuts;

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal locknutwrench which isarranged to be used as an adapter on a conventionalsocket wrench.

An additional object of the invention is to: provide' asheet metal locknut wrench, as above, which is arranged so that a nut may be menuallyapplied over the outer-: end of the supporting mandrel with ease; themandrel being inwardly movablei-n a; manner so that whenthe-nut is beingrun onto a bolt; the nut flanges are not only protected on the inside bythe mandrel but are held against outwardlateral. deflection ordeformation by the socket of the socket. wrench.

A further object is to provide a sheet, metal lock n'utr wrench whichisadjustable for use with socket wrenchesiof different depths:

It is also an object to' provide a) sheet metal lock nut wrench whichsupports the nut, for application, in a position which assures of readyand pro er attachment to a bolt.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a practical and reliabledevice, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose forwhich it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of thefollowspecification and claims-L In the drawings Fig} 1 is an elevationof acen venuoriar secret wrench showing the sheet n'ietal' loch nutwrench therein for use.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. l, but in enlarged form, and shows thesheet metal lock nut wrench in section, and in starting position of theparts.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, illustrating the positionof the parts of the wrench when a sheet metal lock nut is being applied.

Fig. 4 is an outer end view of the assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral l indicates a conventional socket wrench whichincludes an open-ended hexagonal socket 2 at one end, and another socket3 at its opposite end for reception of an actuating stem 4.

The sheet metal lock nut wrench, which is the subject of the presentinvention, is adapted to engage in the open-ended hexagonal socket 2 ofthe socket wrench I, and comprises the following structural arrangement:

exterior hexagonal sleeve 5 of a length lesser than the depth ofthesocket 2 is adapted to slidably and matchingly engage in the latter. Theexterior hexagonal sleeve 5 is fitted, at its inner end-,- with; afixed. collar 6' through. which a screw stem i extends axially. At itsfree end the screw stem] is formed with a hexagonal head 3 whichlikewise matchingly engages in the sock et 2,. being adapted to abut theinner end otthe latter, asat 9.

By. preliminary adjustment of the screw stern! the position of theexterior hexagonal sleeve 5 in the socket 2- can be predetermined; theadjustment being such that the outer end of the sleeve 5 is disposedshort of thecorrespondi'ng ndof the socket 2, for the purposehereinafter described. It is thus evident that the device is adjustablefor use in sockets of different depths.

An internal hexagonal sleeve l'li' is matchingly and slidably disposedin the exterior hexagonal sleeve 5; the sleeve [0, projecting at itsouter end some distancebeyond the corresponding end of the sleeve-5,;whichprojection is suflicient to normally extendbeyond the socket 2.This outer end of the internal hexagonal sleeve IB serves as a mandrel,indicated generally at l l I The extent to which the internal hexagonalsleeve H; may project out; of the exterior hexagorial sleeve 5, and thesocket 2,- is limited by outturned hubs t2 which run in longitudinalslot-s #31 in opposite sides of said sleeve 5.

A-compression spring M is disposed within the internal hexagonal sleeveHF and engages between the fixed collar 6 and stops l5 inturned fromsaid sleeve Hr, on opposite" side intermediate the ends of the sleeve.

The spring it always urges the internal hexagonal sleeve to outwardlywhereby to normally dispose the mandrel ll outside the socket 2 formanual access.

The above described sheet metal lock nut wrench is used in the followingmanner:

A sheet metal lock nut iii of hexagonal configuration, and whichincludes edge flanges I1, is placed by hand on the mandrel II of theinternal hexagonal sleeve Hi. Thereafter, the socket wrench I ismanipulated to run the nut [6 onto the bolt. At the outset of thisoperation, when axial force is applied to the wrench I, the internalhexagonal sleeve l0 retracts or shifts inwardly against the compressionof spring l4, and until the flanges I! of the nut l6 enter the socket 2in the manner shown in Fig. 3. When this occurs the flanges I! aresupported on the inside by the mandrel I I and are supported on the out-3 side by the adjacent part of the socket 2; said flanges thus beingmaintained against deformation when the nut is being run onto the bolt.

The described Wrench provides a very practical and effective device forthe application of sheet metal lock nuts, which latter cannot besatisfactorily secured in place by conventional tools.

The described wrench is convenient to use for the reason that themandrel is normally exposed for easy access by hand and so that the locknut can be applied thereto within the vision of the mechanic. Once thelock nut is on the mandrel it is effectively held in a position at rightangles to the axis of the wrench, which facilitates nut application.

The size of the mandrel II is such that each lock nut frictionallyengages the same so that the nut does not accidentally fall off whilebeing moved to its position of attachment. Additionally, the frictionalengagement of the device in the socket 2 prevents accidental separationtherebetween in any position of use.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following are claimed as newand useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

' 1. A sheet metal lock nut wrench comprising an external sleeve, ofnon-circular configuration in cross section, adapted to matchinglyengage in the socket of a socket wrench, an internal sleeve matchinglyand slidably engaged in the external sleeve and projecting axiallyoutward therefrom as a non-circular nut receiving mandrel, means tolimit outward sliding movement of the internal sleeve, and a spring inthe sleeve assembly yieldably resisting inward sliding movement of theinternal sleeve; the external sleeve terminating short of the outer endof the socket.

2. A sheet metal lock nut wrench comprising an external sleeve, ofnon-circular configuration in cross section, adapted to matchinglyengage in the socket'of a socket wrench, an internal sleeve matchinglyand slidably engaged in the external sleeve and projecting axiallyoutward therefrom as a non-circular nut receiving mandrel, means tolimit outward sliding movement of the internal sleeve, and a spring inthe sleeve assembly yieldably resisting inward sliding movement of theinternal sleeve; there being adjustable stop means to set the positionof the external sleeve in the socket, and said external sleeve being setso that it terminates short of the outer end of said socket.

3. In combination with a socket wrench, a sleeve fitted into the Wrenchsocket in non-turnable relation with respect thereto, a mandrel mountedin the sleeve in non-turnable relation thereto and slidable co-axiallythereof, the mandrel normally projecting beyond the end of the socket,the outer end of the mandrel being shaped to receive thereon infrictional relation therewith a sheet metal nut having a peripheral edgeflange.

4. A combination as in claim 3 including stop means interposed betweenthe sleeve and the mandrel to limit relative axial movement between thetwo.

5. A combination as in claim 4 including yieldable means interposedbetween the sleeve and the mandrel to normally hold the mandrel in itsoutermost position relative to the end of the sleeve.

6. A combination as in claim 5 in which the mandrel moves inside thesleeve, the outer end of the sleeve terminating short of the outer endof the socket, the thickness of the sleeve wall being substantially thatof the thickness of the edge flange of a nut to be received on themandrel.

7. In combination with a socket wrench, a sleeve slidably fitted intothe wrench socket in non-turnable relation with respect thereto, thesleeve including a fixed collar on its inner end, a head disposedinwardly of the collar, and a screw stem on the head threaded throughsaid collar, a mandrel mounted in the sleeve in non-turnable relationwith respect thereto and slidable coaxially thereof, the mandrelnormally projecting beyond the end of the socket, the outer end of themandrel being shaped to receive in frictional relation therewith a sheetmetal nut having a. peripheral edge fiange.

BENNIE A. BAKER.

REFERENCES CITED Elie following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

